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A closed fermion loop carries an additional minus sign from the odd Grassmann parity of the fields in the Wick theorem contraction expansion. Equivalently, integrating out Grassmann fields gives a determinant, whose logarithmic interaction expansion has the fermionic sign relative to a bosonic inverse determinant. This sign must be included in addition to propagator and vertex phases.

A closed chain of Dirac propagators is a fermion loop. Its closed fermion loop sign distinguishes it from a bosonic loop. Tracing spinor indices produces gamma matrix traces, and the high-momentum powers of the propagators determine possible ultraviolet divergences.

Normalize the vacuum path integral by $Z[0]$. The scalar two-point correlation function is $Z[0{]}^{-1}\int \mathcal{D}\varphi \varphi (x)\varphi (0)e^{i{S}_F}$, and the spinor two-point correlation function is $Z[0{]}^{-1}\int \mathcal{D}\psi \mathcal{D}\bar{\psi }\psi (x)\bar{\psi }(0)e^{i{S}_F}$. Vacuum boundary conditions make these time-ordered Feynman propagators. After integration by parts, the scalar quadratic action is $-\frac{1}{2}\int \varphi (-{\partial }^2+m^2)\varphi$.

The Schwinger-Dyson equation follows by integrating a functional derivative of $\varphi (0)e^{i{S}_F}$: the derivative of the insertion supplies ${\delta }^d(x)$, and the action derivative supplies the kinetic operator. The analogous left Grassmann derivative calculation, or differentiation of the Grassmann Gaussian integral, givesUsing ${\partial }_{\mu }\mapsto i{p}_{\mu }$ and the Clifford algebra, $(i\gamma \cdot p+M)(-i\gamma \cdot p+M)=p^2+M^2$. ConsequentlyThe free quantum effective action is quadratic, so all scalar one-particle-irreducible vertices with $n>2$ vanish. Its two-point vertex is the stated inverse kinetic form $-p^2-m^2$.

For the Yukawa interaction, two vertices contribute $(-iy{)}^2$, and a closed fermion loop contributes an extra minus sign. Tracing the two spinor numerators gives $4[M^2-k\cdot (k-p)]$, since the one-gamma traces vanish. Removing the overall $i$ from the amplitude gives the displayed loop integral. DefineThe numerator decomposition and translation invariance of dimensional regularization reduce it toThe supplied tadpole pole is $I(M)\sim -2M^2/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$. A Feynman parameter combines the two bubble denominators. Shifting its loop momentum gives mass squared $M^2+x(1-x)p^2$; differentiating the tadpole integral with respect to this squared mass gives the double-denominator pole $2/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$, independent of $x$. Thus $J(p;M)\sim 2/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$ andThe counterterms contribute $-A{p}^2-B$, so their minimal pole parts areCombining the kinetic terms gives wavefunction renormalization $Z_{\varphi }=1+A$, and combining the mass terms gives $Z_{\varphi }{m}_0^2=m^2+B$. ThereforeThese are the Yukawa scalar self-energy pole coefficients; finite parts depend on the chosen renormalization condition.

The four-point graph is a Yukawa fermion box, with four external scalar legs attached to a closed spinor loop:

Each high-momentum dirac propagator is $O(k^{-1})$. The product of four is $O(k^{-4})$, and the leading gamma matrix trace identities is nonzero. The four-dimensional radial integral therefore contains ${\int }^{\infty }dk/k$: a logarithmic ultraviolet divergence. This local four-scalar divergence cannot be absorbed by scalar mass or field normalization. Add $-\lambda {\varphi }^4/4!$, and, using the stipulated four-point pole normalization, take $\delta \lambda =-8y^4/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$ so that $-\delta \lambda$ cancels it.

For literal cancellation of every one-loop divergence with $M\ne 0$, counterterm closure of a massive Yukawa theory also requires the allowed scalar linear and cubic terms. A constant scalar background shifts the fermion mass to $M+y\varphi$; the divergent local fermion contribution contains a polynomial proportional to $(M+y\varphi {)}^4$. Its linear and cubic terms are not forbidden by a symmetry when the fermion mass is nonzero. A closed renormalizable family therefore haswith field, mass and coupling redefinitions for both scalar and spinor fields. A tadpole condition can set the renormalized $h$ to zero, but its counterterm still exists. The vacuum constant is needed if vacuum energy is retained. If an exact discrete chiral symmetry is imposed with $M=0$, the scalar potential can be even and the odd terms are forbidden; the essential new interaction is then the quartic one.

Four scalar Yukawa interactions on a closed fermion loop generate a scalar four-point one-particle-irreducible vertex. At high momentum four dirac propagators contribute $k^{-4}$, leaving a logarithmic four-dimensional ultraviolet divergence. Its local scalar-fourth-power term requires a quartic scalar coupling; scalar mass and field counterterms cannot cancel it.

For one four-component Dirac field with scalar interaction $-y\bar{\psi }\psi \varphi$ and the mostly-plus propagator convention, the fermion loop numerator is $4[M^2-k\cdot (k-p)]$. Reduce it to a bubble and tadpole: $-4y^2[(2M^2+p^2/2)J-I]$. Dimensional regularization gives pole parts $J=2/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$ and $I=-2M^2/(\epsilon 16{\pi }^2)$. The local pole then requires both wavefunction renormalization and a scalar mass counterterm.